Comparison

Actives vs PLAINCI

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Actives

Decode beauty product labels by scanning barcodes to reveal active ingredients and INCI lists. Find personalized recommendations based on your specific skin concerns and learn which ingredients are best for your skin type.

Highlights
  • Barcode scanner for ingredient identification
  • Ingredient encyclopedia with detailed insights
  • Shop by skin issue recommendations
  • Search for specific active ingredients
  • Personalized ingredient matching
  • Decode INCI lists
Features
Read full description

Stop Guessing. Start Scanning. Do you know if your skincare products are actually working for you? With Actives, you can decode complex labels and find the perfect ingredients for your unique skin goals. Whether you are dealing with Acne, Oily Skin, or Fine Lines, we help you shop smarter. THE INGREDIENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Understand the science behind the hype. Get deep-dive insights into the active ingredients trending on social media, including: Brightening: Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Azelaic Acid Anti-Aging: Retinol, Retinals, Peptides, Bakuchiol Hydration: Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, Vitamin E Exfoliation (AHA/BHA/PHA): Glycolic, Salicylic, and Lactic Acids KEY FEATURES BARCODE SCANNER: Simply scan any beauty product to instantly see its active ingredients and the full INCI list. No more confusing chemical names. SHOP BY SKIN ISSUE: Find curated product recommendations for Acne, Redness, Dry Skin, Eye Bags, Blackheads, and Enlarged Pores. INGREDIENT SEARCH: Looking for a specific active? Filter thousands of products by their concentration of Retinol, Vitamin C, or AHAs to find your perfect match. PERSONALIZED MATCHING: Learn which ingredients are unsuitable for your skin type before you spend money on a new routine. Active ingredients Get list of cosmetic products based on the active ingredients like Niacinamide, Peptides, Ceramides, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Retinols, Retinals, AHA, BHA, PHA, Hyaluronic acid, Glycolic acid, Azelaic acid, Bakuchiol, Salicylic acid and many more. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

PLAINCI

Features
Read full description

Scan cosmetic and personal-care ingredient labels with your camera or choose a photo. PLAINCI turns dense INCI lists into clear, source-backed ingredient explanations, lets you compare formulas, and keeps scans organized in your library. Set preferences to highlight context relevant to you. Information is educational and is not medical advice or a product safety assessment. PLAINCI Pro is an auto-renewable subscription, available monthly or yearly. Prices are shown in the app and charged to your Apple Account. It renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends; manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://plainci.web.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://plainci.web.app/terms

Screenshots

Actives4 screens
PLAINCI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PLAINCI at weekly against Actives's every 2 months. Actives's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Actives sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and PLAINCI sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Actives ships an update every 2 months, PLAINCI weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Actives versus PLAINCI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterActivesPLAINCI
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperViktor PetrovFirat Onurcan Polat

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Actives

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Scans$8.991 Month
  • Unlimited Scans$39.991 Year
2 purchases

PLAINCI

Subscriptions2
  • PLAINCI Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • PLAINCI Pro Annual$79.991 Year

Questions

Is Actives free?
Actives is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PLAINCI free?
PLAINCI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Actives or PLAINCI have ads?
Neither Actives nor PLAINCI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Actives or PLAINCI?
Actives ships an update every 2 months, and PLAINCI weekly. Most recently, Actives was updated on October 30, 2026 and PLAINCI on November 6, 2026.

Other comparisons